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llllllllll 


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LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

University  of  California. 

GIFT    OF 

A uJir£La^M-^ 

Class 

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in  2007  with  funding  from 

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http://www.archive.org/details/foodpreservationOOnatirich 


Food   Preservation 


NV       1909 


npHIS  BOOK  is  not  intended 
*  for  public  sale,  but  has 
been  prepared  for  distribution  to 
those  who  may  be  interested  in 
the  subjects  of  which  it  treats. 


Issued  by 

The  National  Association  for  the  Promotion  of  Public  Health 

» •  New  York 

1909. 


*^    OF   THC 

UNIVERSITY 

OF 


n  .  i 


Food   Preservation 


A  Statement  of  Facts  in  the  Case, 

Together  with  References 

to  The  Authorities 


Issued  by 
The  National  Association  for  the  Promotion  of  Public  Health 

l '  New  York 

1909. 


*^    Of   THE 

UNIVERSITY 

OF 

■&LIFQRH& 


<*? 


r 


INDEX 

Page 

Acetic  Acid, 17,  19,  27,  28,  29,  36,  37 

Appert  Process, 6 

Asepsis : 

Discovery  of, 7 

Bacteria : 

Growth  in  Tomato  Pulp, 13 

Benzoate  of  Soda: 

Discovery  of, 11 

Nature  of, 11 

Derivation  of, 12,  38 

Experiments  with, 17 

Manufacturer's  View  of, 14 

Bibliography, 46 

Canning, 13 

Catsups: 

Analyses  of, 29 

Condiments, 6,  14,  18 

Concealment  of  Impurities, 15,  16,  37 

Cooking : 

Effects  of, 6 

Decay : 

Process  of, 5 

Food  Inspection  Decision,  No.  104,     24 

Frauenthal,  Dr.  H.  W., 27 

Gordon,  Read,     36 

Heat: 

Chemical  Action  of, 8,  12 

Hurty,  Dr.  J.  H., 35 

Kleber,  Dr.  Clemons, 33 


211001 


INDEX—  Continued 

Page 

Kedzie,  Dr.  Frank, 41 

Kremers,  Professor  Edward, 41 

Mason,  Glen  F., 30 

Mueller,  Sebastian, 40 

"Poison  Squad :*' 

Dr.  Wiley's  Experiment,     20 

Criticism  of  Method, 21 

Preservatives: 

Object  of, 5,  7,  30,  37 

Early  Method  of,     5,  27 

Methods  Compared, 6,  15,  27 

Natural,  in  Fruits, 10 

Necessity  of,     30,  37 

Pure  Food  Law, 18,  36 

Remsen  Board:  20 

Personnel  of, 22 

Questions  to, 23 

Findings  of, 23 

Authorities  Consulted  by, 25,  46 

Spices : 

Properties  of, 35 

Essential  Oils  of, 27,  33,  37 

Effect  of,     8,  33,  35 

Classed  as  Drugs,     14,  38 

Sharpies,  Dr.  S.  P., 35 

Smith,  Dr.  E.  E., 13,  21,  36 

Vaughan,  Prof.  Victor  C, 42 

Wiley,  Dr.  H.  W.,     12,  20,  39 


Foreword 

Around  the  subject  of  proper  food  pres- 
ervation there  recently  has  been  waged 
a  controversy  that  is  not  sufficiently  im- 
partial or  unbiased  by  personal  considera- 
tion to  be  of  real  educational  value  to  the 
public  at  large.  The  modern  method  of 
preparing  food  for  public  consumption  is 
so  new  that  even  the  latest  scientific  works 
on  dietetics  contain  little  or  no  allusion  to 
it,  and  it  is  to  supply  that  lack  in  non- 
technical language  that  this  volume  is 
issued,  based  upon  the  latest  scientific  ex- 
periments and  data.  In  searching  the 
literature  of  the  subject  all  discussion 
that  is  founded  upon  guesswork  or  opin- 
ion has  been  eliminated. 

New  York,  August,   1909. 


Food  Preservation 

npHE  question  of  proper  food  preser- 
vation  is  one  that  is  of  vital  inter- 
est to  every  consumer,  but,  unfortunately, 
it  is  one  that  has  recently  been  more  or 
less  befogged  by  partial  and  selfish  com- 
mercial interests  and  by  the  heat  of  con- 
troversy. 

From  the  moment  of  generation  of  either 
fruit,  vegetable  or  flesh  there  is  gradual 
progress  toward  maturity  and  thence  to 
decay.  The  object  of  a  preservative  in 
foods  is  to  arrest  that  decay  and  to  hold 
stationary  until  needed  those  materials 
which  are  intended  for  human  consump- 
tion. In  other  words,  it  is  the  safe  bank- 
ing of  food  products. 

The  original  method  of  preservation, 
particularly  of  flesh  products,  after  the 
primitive  salting  and  drying,  was  that 
known  to  the  Egyptians  when  they  used 
the  essential  oils  of  spices  for  the  preserva- 
tion of  their  mummies.     With  very  slight 


changes,  this  is  the  method  that  has  come 
down  to  the  present  day  in  what  is  ordi- 
narily known  as  the  "home"  method  of 
preservation,  except  that  to  the  essential 
oils  of  spices  has  been  added  vinegar,  the 
wThole,  with  the  process  of  cooking,  form- 
ing a  condi  mental  method  of  preserva- 
tion. Cooking  is  chemistry,  and  the 
preservative  employed,  leaving  aside  all 
question  of  technicalities,  is  acetic  acid  and 
the  essential  oils  of  spices.  A  distinction 
should  be  kept  in  mind  between  what  may 
be  called  "canned"  goods,  which  by  the 
Appert  process — heat,  sterilization  and 
hermetic  sealing  —  require  no  other  pre- 
servative, and  condimental  substances, 
such  as  catsup,  jams,  preserves  and  jellies. 
The  preparation  of  the  latter,  unless  a 
preservative  is  used,  requires  heavy  boiling 
in  open  kettles,  thus  increasing  oxidization 
and  reducing  the  whole  to  a  pulpy  mass 
which  has  lost  its  original  form,  color  and 
taste.  The  restoration  of  color  and  taste 
is  the  mission  of  condiments,  to  which  also 
is  added  the  preservative  qualities  of  the 
condiments  used. 


Perhaps  the  greatest  step  forward  in  the 
preservation  of  material  was  made  when 
Lord  John  Lister,  the  eminent  Scotch  sur- 
geon, discovered  the  septic  action  of  mat- 
ter, and  it  is  this  fact  that  has  been  taken 
advantage  of  and  worked  out  by  all 
chemists.  The  working  of  the  law  is  that 
if  you  would  prevent  decay  you  must 
forestall  the  tendency  thereto,  and  this 
tendency  is  found  in  the  normal  presence 
of  bacteria.  The  thing  that  will  over- 
come this  tendency  to  deterioration  must 
necessarily  be  the  employment  of  some 
agent  having  either  a  prophylactic  or 
antiseptic  quality.  In  plain  language, 
the  preservative,  to  be  a  preservative, 
must  hold  within  itself  the  power  of  de- 
stroying the  bacteria  without  injury  to  the 
ingredients  or  component  parts  of  the 
fruit,  vegetable  or  flesh  to  be  preserved, 
which,  if  left  to  themselves,  would  go 
through  the  necessary  processes  to  final 
dissolution.  We  are,  therefore,  forced  to 
the  conclusion  that  if  a  spice  preserves 
an  apple  the  spice  must  have  a  sufficient 
power  to  destroy  or  retard  the  development 


Of   THE 

UWVERSfTy 

OF 


of  the  bacteria  in  the  apple  that  would  pro- 
duce decay,  or  that  might  find  entry  there 
by  contact  or  from  the  air.  If  decay  has 
already  begun  in  even  the  slightest  degree, 
then  the  spice  must  have  the  antiseptic 
power  of  offsetting  and  destroying  the 
further  work  of  the  bacteria  that  had  begun 
operations. 

Heat  and  the  exclusion  of  air,  as  well  as 
any  condiment  used  in  sufficient  quantity, 
will  act  as  a  preservative  and  do  the  neces- 
sary work  in  preventing  the  natural  process 
of  decay.  The  treatment  with  spices  in 
heavy  quantities  for  the  purpose  of  pre- 
serving, opens  up  another  question  at  once, 
for  there  is  a  wide  difference  between  the 
use  of  a  limited  quantity  of  a  spice  for 
flavoring,  and  the  employment  of  a  suffi- 
cient amount  to  break  down  or  annihilate 
the  whole  of  the  natural  process  of  deteri- 
oration. Authorities  are  at  variance  upon 
that  point  to  a  marked  degree. 

The  chemical  action  of  heat  on  food 
materials  to  which  had  been  added  con- 
diments had  been  the  sole  method  of  pres- 
ervation  for   years,   until  modern   science 

8 


cast  about  for  a  more  efficient  and  more 
certain  substitute.  Many  have  been  tried 
and  practically  abandoned,  for  it  has 
been  found  that  most  chemicals  which 
will  preserve  food  will  also  modify  digestive 
functions.  At  the  present  writing  benzoate 
of  soda — which  is  common  soda  treated 
with  benzoic  acid — is  the  sole  preserving 
agent  that  has  been  determined  by  the 
highest  scientific  authorities  to  be  at  once 
efficient  and  also  so  little  harmful  in  the 
quantities  necessary  to  employ  that  meas- 
urable deleterious  effect  cannot  be  found.  * 
The  controversy,  then,  narrows  itself  down 
to  the  conflict  between  the  old  method  of 
spices  and  vinegar  and  heavy  cooking  as 
against  the  innovation  represented  by  ben- 
zoate of  soda.  Such  controversies  are 
linked  with  and  are  a  part  of  scientific 
progress,  and,  in  their  final  outcome,  bene- 
ficial. J  Gallileo  was  persecuted  because  he 
dared  the  traditional  belief  of  ages;  !  the 
serum  theory  and  anti-toxin  were  bitterly 

^Testimony  of  Dr.  Harvey  W.  Wiley  before  Interstate  and 
Foreign  Commerce  Committee  of  House  of  Representatives, 
page  311. 


assailed  until  the  death  rate  from  diphtheria 
had  been  so  reduced  as  to  prove  the  clinch- 
ing argument;  the  X-ray  was  scoffed  at. 

THE   NATURAL   SAFEGUARD 

OTJITE  early  in  the  history  of  modern 
chemistry  it  was  found  that  certain 
minor  fruits  possessed  the  quality  of 
keeping  indefinitely,  or,  to  say  the  least, 
of  postponing  the  inevitable  process  of 
decay  for  an  extended  period  of  time. 
The  inquiring  mind  naturally  set  itself  to 
asking  why  the  cranberry,  the  huckleberry, 
the  birch,  etc.,  should  possess  this  apparent 
immunity,  and  in  the  course  of  time  it 
was  discovered  that  under  the  skin  of 
the  berries  and  the  bark  of  the  tree  there 
was  contained  a  natural  preservative.  To 
this  was  given  the  name  benzoic  acid. 

There  is  some  doubt  as  to  whom  falls  the 
honor  of  the  discovery,  inasmuch  as  such 
investigations  have  usually  been  carried  on 
independently  by  several  experimenters, 
each  unaware  of  the  other's  labors,  but  it 
is  certain  that  the  medicinal  properties  of 
benzoin — the   active   principle    of   benzoic 

10 


acid — has  been  known  since  shortly  after 
the  Elizabethan  era.  The  use  of  this  sub- 
stance as  a  preservative  for  foods,  however, 
was  not  attempted,  nor  perhaps  known, 
until  a  decade  ago.  Manufacturers  of  food 
products  who  had  been  using  the  acetic 
acid  and  spice  method  cast  about  for  an 
equivalent  that  would  perform  the  desired 
service  with  fewer  of  the  drawbacks  of  the 
earlier  or  home  method,  and  it  was  sug- 
gested that  benzoic  acid  could  be  "cut"  or 
neutralized  with  soda.  Exhaustive  experi- 
ments were  carried  on  along  these  lines, 
and  after  two  years  several  firms  decided 
to  make  use  of  it.  This  took  place  in  1899, 
or  nearly  seven  years  before  the  adoption 
of  the  present  Food  and  Drug  Law. 

Benzoic  acid,  then,  we  have  learned,  is 
actually  the  vital  natural  substance,  con- 
tained in  certain  minor  fruits  and  vege- 
tables, that  acts  as  a  preservative  against 
decay.  When  combined  with  soda  and  ap- 
plied to  any  vegetable  or  animal  substance, 
its  action  is  precisely  the  same  as  in  its 
natural  state  and  place — it  arrests  the  pro- 
cesses of  decay.      The  quantity  necessary 

ii 


adequately  to  prevent  the  process  of  fermen- 
tation— which  is  in  actuality  decay — is  very 
small,  and  it  effectually  prevents  the  devel- 
opment of  bacteria,  destroying  these  should 
they  find  entry.  In  the  form  of  benzoate 
of  soda  this  preservative  is  a  white  crys- 
talline substance,  and  it  is  colorless,  odor- 
less and  practically  tasteless.  That  which 
is  used  in  foods  is  obtained  from  toluene, 
a  coal-tar  product.  The  impression  which 
has  been  fostered  to  the  effect  that  it  is 
obtained  from  hippuric  acid  is  erroneous. 
Such  benzoic  acid  is  too  expensive  for  com- 
mercial use  and  is  of  German  production. 
Importers  state  that  not  an  ounce  is  sold 
in  this  country  for  use  in  foods.  Dr.  H.  W. 
Wiley  has  stated:  "In  so  far  as  I  know, 
none  of  this  particular  kind  of  benzoic  acid 
is  used  in  foods."* 

HEAT  NOT  ALWAYS  EFFECTIVE 

TT    has    already    been    made    clear   that 
comparatively  few  food  products  require 
a  preservative  other  than  heat.    In  the  ma- 
jority of  processes  it  is  unnecessary,  such, 

^Testimony   before  Interstate    and     Foreign     Commerce 
Committee  of  the  House  of  Representatives. 


for  instance,  as  the  strictly  canning  indus- 
tries, in  which  fruits,  vegetables,  soups  or 
meats  are  put  up  as  "air-tights"  and  are  in- 
tended to  be  used  entirely  and  immediately 
as  soon  as  the  package  is  opened.  These  re- 
quire no  preservative  of  any  sort.  It  is  only 
in  products  that  are  intended  for  gradual 
consumption  that  any  preservative  is 
necessary,  and  by  gradual  consumption 
is  meant  this:  that  a  jar  of  fruit  preserves 
may  be  purchased,  opened  and  left  upon 
the  table  or  in  an  icebox  for  a  week  possi- 
bly, until  it  is  entirely  consumed.  Herein 
the  danger  lies,  for,  as  Professor  E.  E. 
Smith,  of  Fordham  University,  has  shown 
in  his  experiments  along  this  line,  bacteria 
in  an  unpreserved  product  develop  with 
amazing  rapidity.*  The  exact  figures  may 
be  interesting,  and  these  are  as  follows : 

Fresh  ripe  fruit,  sterilized  and  sealed, 
was  laid  away  for  a  period  of  three  months. 
It  was  then  opened  and  tested  for  bacteria. 
None  was  found.  Three  days  later  the  bac- 
terial presence  was  found  to  be  8,850  per 

*Report  to  the  Central  Medical  Society  of  Connecticut, 
delivered  at  Middletown,  Feb.  8,  1909. 

13 


cubic  centimetre  (about  a  quarter  of  a  tea- 
spoonful)  ;  on  the  sixth  day  this  amount  had 
grown  to  244,846,000  per  cubic  centimetre. 
This  serves  fitly  to  illustrate  the  situation 
where  no  preservative — chemical  or  condi- 
mental — is  used.  We  have  learned  in  an 
earlier  portion  of  these  pages  that  spices, 
etc.,  serve  as  preservatives,  and  yet  when 
we  buy  certain  brands  of  preserves  we  are 
informed  upon  the  label  that  "no  preserva- 
tives" are  used.  In  the  interpretation 
of  the  law  this  possibly  is  correct,  for 
condiments  are  not  classed  as  "preserva- 
tives," but  the  fact  remains  that  spices 
or  condiments  are  chemicals  and  also 
drugs,  and  we  find  them  so  listed  in  the 
Pharmacopeia.  The  statement  upon  the 
label  may  then  be  called  a  technical  eva- 
sion permitted  by  law. 

THE   MANUFACTURER'S  VIEW 

T  N  order  to  ascertain  the  commercial  argu- 
ment supporting  the  use  of  benzoate 
of  soda  a  letter  was  addressed  to  a  promi- 
nent firm  of  manufacturers  asking  their 
reasons.  The  reply  was  to  the  effect  that 
during    the   time    of    their    experimenting 

14 


and  undertaking  to  get  along  without  an 
added  preservative,  they  found  it  was 
absolutely  impossible  to  make  a  catsup 
that  would  keep  sweet  until  entirely  con- 
sumed, without  the  aid  of  some  preserving 
agent.  They  did,  however,  discover  that 
they  could  make  catsup  that  would  keep, 
and  this  manner  of  manufacture  was  the 
same  as  employed  by  our  mothers,  viz.: 
by  cooking  the  whole  substance  down  until 
it  had  entirely  lost  its  original  color  and 
tomato  flavor  and  then  adding  heavy  quan- 
tities of  spices  and  vinegar.  They  expressed 
the  belief  that  there  is  no  question  but  that 
these  goods  must  have  a  preservative  of 
some  kind,  whether  it  be  benzoate  of  soda 
or  excessive  amounts  of  acetic  acid  (vine- 
gar) and  spice  products,  and  from  what 
they  had  learned  these  latter  are  more 
injurious  to  health  than  the  former. 

In  this  connection  it  is  well  to  observe 
that  the  axis  of  the  argument  against  ben- 
zoate of  soda  has  been  supported  upon  a 
wholesale  declaration  that  benzoate  of 
soda  was  and  is  used  to  conceal  or  cover  up 
inferiority  of  material  in  the  preparation 

15 


of  various  products,  and  that  this  was  and 
is  the  sole  and  only  reason  for  its  use. 
Broadly  stated,  this  assertion  comes  down 
to  the  charge  that  manufacturers  are  en- 
abled to  use  skins,  parings  and  refuse  gen- 
erally in  the  preparation  of  their  products, 
and  that  this  enables  them  to  put  forth  a 
class  of  goods,  bearing  every  outward  ap- 
pearance of  the  first-class  article,  at  prac- 
tically no  initial  cost  for  material,  and,  by 
inference,  a  class  of  articles  that  must  of 
necessity  be  built  upon  filth  and  decay. 
No  statement  could  be  more  diametrically 
opposed  to  the  fact  than  this.  With  a 
preservative  that  has  neither  color  nor 
odor,  and  with  practically  no  taste,  it  is 
manifestly  impossible  to  conceal  either 
decay,  offensive  odor,  or  rotten  taste. 

CONCEALING  IMPURITIES 

TT  would  seem  proper  in  this  instance  to 
make  an  inquiry.  Which  would  be  the 
more  available  to  an  unscrupulous  manu- 
facturer who  had  on  hand  a  consignment 
of  rotten  or  decayed  fruit  that  he  wished 
to  preserve — a  small  quantity  of  a  tasteless, 

16 


odorless  and  colorless  salt,  or  abnormal 
quantities  of  heavy  and  pungent  oils  and 
spices  together  with  long  and  continued 
boiling? 

In  a  recent  legal  action  in  Indiana* 
an  interesting  experiment  was  reported 
in  court.  A  food  chemist  in  the  em- 
ploy of  a  large  firm  of  manufacturers  pro- 
duced a  considerable  amount  of  tomato 
pulp  that  had  been  prepared  for  preserv- 
ing, and  which  he  testified  was  made  of 
unfit  material,  partly  decomposed, — the 
refuse  of  the  factory. 

This  pulp  had  been  divided  into  three 
parts.  The  first  had  been  left  untreated; 
to  the  second  had  been  added  an  amount 
of  benzoate  of  soda  considerably  in  excess 
of  that  usually  employed.  To  the  third 
had  been  added  vinegar  that  was  strong  in 
acetic  acid  and  the  essential  oil  of  spices. 
The  first  remained  in  its  previous  inedible 
condition;  the  second  showed  no  change, 
while  the  third  had  altered  its  color  from 


*In  the  Circuit  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the  District 
of  Indiana,  No.  10894,  in  equity. 

17 


a  dirty  brown  to  a  bright  red,  and  the 
offensive  effluvia  changed  to  an  appetizing 
and  pungent  odor. 

MEANING  OF  THE  PURE   FOOD  LAW 

^pHE  Pure  Food  and  Drug  Law  of  1906 
went  a  long  way  toward  insuring  pure 
and  unadulterated  food  products  to  the 
consumer.  No  honest  manufacturer  can 
raise  any  objection  to  its  provisions, 
and  investigation  has  shown  that  none 
such  has  been  raised.  The  principal  crit- 
icism that  may  be  ventured  is  that  the 
law  is  not  sufficiently  drastic  as  it  stands, 
and  that  it  offers  loopholes  for  commercial 
misrepresentation,  of  which  advantage  has 
been  taken.  One  scientist  has  said  that 
"the  food  laws  of  this  country  are  upside 
down.  All  manufacturers  of  food  products, 
fruits,  vegetables  or  meats,  should  be  com- 
pelled to  use  a  preservative  substance  and 
its  omission  should  be  made  a  criminal 
offense." 

In  this  law  a  technical  distinction  has 
been  made  in  the  wording  between  "condi- 
mental"    and     "chemical"    preservatives. 

18 


Speaking  more  exactly,  the  law  says  that 
any  substance  "added  solely  as  a  preserva- 
tive" must  be  indicated  upon  the  label. 
Vinegar  and  spices  are  not  "added  solely 
as  a  preservative."  They  are  introduced 
ostensibly  as  condiment  or  flavor,  but  also 
because  their  use  will  have  a  preservative 
effect,  and  it  is  not  legally  compulsory  to 
indicate  upon  the  label  the  acetic  acid  that 
is  found  in  such  foods.  It  is  under  this 
technicality  that  the  "no  preservative" 
claim  is  made  freely  in  advertising  and 
other  matter,  which  is,  to  a  considerable 
extent,  misleading. 


19 


A   REVIEW   OF  THE   FINDINGS 

T?OR  many  months  a  widespread  agitation 
*"  has  been  going  on  in  this  country  over 
this  question  of  preservatives.  Stripping 
the  discussion  of  unauthorized  and  unscien- 
tific statements,  and  eliminating  from  it  all 
the  inspired  matter  that  has  been  pub- 
lished, the  situation  simmers  itself  down 
to  the  point  of  actual  experimentation  to 
ascertain  the  effects  of  benzoate  of  soda 
upon  the  human  system.  There  have  been 
two  series  in  this  country.  The  first  was 
conducted  by  Dr.  H.  W.  Wiley,  Chief  of 
the  Bureau  of  Chemistry  of  the  United 
States  Department  of  Agriculture,  and  the 
second  by  the  so-called  Remsen  Scientific 
Referee  Board,  appointed  by  Secretary 
of  Agriculture  Wilson,  in  accordance  with 
instructions  from  President  Roosevelt,  and 
composed  of  five  of  the  most  eminent 
scientists  in  the  country.  The  findings  of 
both  of  these  have  been  very  largely  mis- 
represented, for  they  are,  in  effect,  not  very 
widely  apart. 

In  the  original  report  of  Dr.  Wiley*  it 
was  shown,  with  every  appearance  of  verity, 

♦Bulletin  84,  Bureau  of  Chemistry,  U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agricul- 
ture.    Since  recalled  as  unofficial. 


that  the  experiments  upon  the  twelve  mem- 
bers of  the  "poison  squad"  who  were  sub- 
jected to  the  tests  had  indicated  "strongly 
marked  physiological  modifications,"  and 
that  the  whole  digestive  system  had  been 
upset.  By  referring  to  the  report  we  dis- 
cover that  these  experiments  were  carried 
on  for  a  period  of  only  thirty  days,  which 
had  been  divided  into  three  sub-periods. 
These  consisted  of  a  "fore  period"  of  five 
days,  in  which  no  benzoate  of  soda  was 
given  to  the  subjects,  but  in  which  they 
were  merely  prepared  for  the  test  to  come; 
then  the  actual  period  of  the  administra- 
tion of  the  salt  during  twenty  continuous 
days;  and  then  an  "after  period"  of  five 
days,  in  which  the  system  was  supposed  to 
readjust  itself.  This  bulletin  was  issued 
without  proper  departmental  authority, 
and,  in  fact,  in  opposition  to  direct  in- 
structions pending  a  review  of  the  case. 
The  belief,  therefore,  that  the  Department 
of  Agriculture  had  prohibited  the  use  of 
benzoate  of  soda  as  a  preservative  was  con- 
sequently erroneous. 

In  a  paper  printed  in  the  Medical  Record 
of  January  %   1909,  by  Professor  E.   E. 

21 


Smith,  that  author  says:  "A  careful  and 
painstaking  analysis  of  the  work  of  the 
chief  chemist  of  the  Department  of  Agri- 
culture shows  that  a  curious  condition  ex- 
isted at  the  time  of  the  experiment.  Of  the 
twelve  men  who  served  as  subjects  eleven 
were  suffering  from  some  form  of  physical 
derangement  before,  during  and  after 
the  experiments.  The  one  who  was  free 
from  any  such  indications  was  the  only  one 
reported  who  did  not  suffer  from  the  so- 
called  injurious  effects  of  benzoate  of  soda, 
while  each  of  the  eleven  others  indicated 
exactly  those  symptoms  which  would  have 
occurred  as  a  natural  result  of  their  condi- 
tion, whether  the  preservative  had  been 
administered  or  not." 

The  Remsen  Scientific  Referee  Board,  ap- 
pointed by  President  Roosevelt  to  review 
the  work  of  the  Bureau  of  Chemistry  be- 
cause of  the  questions  raised  as  to  the  scien- 
tific value  and  accuracy  of  the  work  of  the 
bureau,  consisted  of  Professor  Ira  Rem- 
sen, president  of  Johns  Hopkins  Univer- 
sity; Professor  Russell  H.  Chittenden,  of 
Yale  University;  Dr.  Christian  A.  Herter, 

22 


ur      I  r»«i 


UNIVERSITY 

or 


of  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons, 
Columbia  University,  New  York;  Professor 
John  H.  Long,  of  Northwestern  Univer- 
sity, Chicago,  and  Professor  Alonzo  E. 
Taylor,  of  the  University  of  California.* 
This  board  conducted  a  series  of  experi- 
ments in  three  cities  simultaneously,  and 
covered  a  period  of  about  three  months. 
The  questions  put  to  the  board  were: 

(1)  "Does  a  food  to  which  there  has  been  added 
benzoic  acid,  or  any  of  its  salts,  contain  any  added 
poisonous  or  other  added  deleterious  ingredient 
which  may  render  the  said  food  injurious  to  health? 

(2)  (a)  "In  large  quantities?  (b)  In  small 
quantities? 

(3)  "If  benzoic  acid  or  any  of  its  salts  be  mixed 
or  packed  with  a  food,  is  the  quality  or  strength  of 
said  food  thereby  reduced,  lowered  or  injuriously 
affected?  (a)  In  large  quantities?  (b)  In  small 
quantities?" 

The   general   conclusions    of   the   board 

were : 

(1)  "Sodium  benzoate  in  small  doses  (under  0.5 
gram  per  day)  mixed  with  the  food  is  without 
deleterious  or  poisonous  action  and  is  not  injurious 
to  health. 


*Prof.  Taylor  did  not  participate  in  the  experiments,  but 
travelled  in  Europe  searching  the  foreign  literature. 

23 


(2)  "Sodium  benzoate  in  large  doses  (up  to  4 
grams  per  day)  mixed  with  the  food  has  not  been 
found  to  exert  any  deleterious  effect  on  the  general 
health,  nor  to  act  as  a  poison  in  the  general  ac- 
ceptation of  the  term.  In  some  directions  there 
were  slight  modifications  in  certain  physiological 
processes,  the  exact  significance  of  which  modifica- 
tions is  not  known. 

(3)  "The  admixture  of  sodium  benzoate  with 
food  in  small  or  large  doses  has  not  been  found  to 
injuriously  affect  or  impair  the  quality  or  nutri- 
ent value  of  such  food." 

As  a  result  of  this  the  following  decision 
was  made  by  the  Department  of  Agricul- 
ture, under  date  of  March  3,  1909: 

FOOD  INSPECTION  DECISION  104 

Amendment  to  Food  Inspection  Decisions  No.  76  and  No.  89, 
Relating  to  the  Use  in  Foods  of  Benzoate  of  Soda. 

The  Referee  Board  of  Consulting  Scientific 
Experts,  composed  of  Dr.  Ira  Remsen,  Dr.  Russell 
H.  Chittenden,  Dr.  John  H.  Long,  Dr.  Alonzo  E. 
Taylor,  and  Dr.  C.  A.  Herter,  have  reported  upon 
the  use  of  benzoate  of  soda  in  foods.  The  board 
reports,  as  a  result  of  three  extensive  and  exhaus- 
tive investigations,  that  benzoate  of  soda  mixed 
with  food  is  not  deleterious  or  poisonous  and  is 
not  injurious  to  health.  The  summary  of  the 
report  of  the  Referee  Board  is  published  herewith. 

It  having  been  determined  that  benzoate  of 
soda  mixed  with  food  is  not  deleterious  or  poison- 
ous and  is  not  injurious  to  health,  no  objection 
will  be  raised  under  the   Food  and   Drug  Act  to 

24 


the  use  in  food  of  benzoate  of  soda,  provided  that 
each  container  or  package  of  such  food  is  plainly 
labeled  to  show  the  presence  and  amount  of  ben- 
zoate of  soda. 

Food  Inspection  Decisions  76  and  89  are 
amended  accordingly. 

GEORGE  B.   CORTELYOU. 

Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

JAMES   WILSON, 

Secretary  of  Agriculture. 

OSCAR   S.   STRAUS, 

Secretary  of  Commerce  and  Labor. 

This,  then,  is  all  that  stands  as  authority 
on  this  subject  in  this  country,  either 
governmental  or  scientific.  In  reaching  its 
conclusions,  however,  the  Remsen  Board 
was  not  content  to  rest  upon  its  own 
original  investigations,  for  a  careful  search 
was  made  of  the  European  authorities,  one 
hundred  and  twenty-seven  in  all,  some  in 
the  form  of  complete  works,  some  in  the 
form  of  special  articles  in  the  technical 
press,  and  others  as  Government  reports. 
Many  of  these  experiments  were  performed 
upon  animals,  a  considerable  number  upon 
human  beings;  some  others  had  for  their  ob- 
ject the  determination  of  the  actual  effect 
of  the  salt  upon  bacteria.     One  discussed 

25 


the  treatment  of  tuberculosis  by  benzoic 
inhalation,  and  the  rest  merely  considered 
the  reports  of  others. 

Others  who  may  be  considered  as  au- 
thorities have  touched  the  subject  in 
its  various  details,  and  their  opinions  are 
here  appended. 


26 


The  Two  Preservative  Methods 
Compared 

Statement  of  HENRY  W.  FRAUENTHAL,  A.C.,  M.D. 

Surgeon-in-Chief,  Hospital  for  Deformities  and  Joint  Diseases,  New  York, 
and  President  of  the  National  Association  for  the  Promotion  of  Public  Health 


Regarding  the  methods  of  preservation  to-day,  it 
may  be  said  that  there  are  two  and  two  only  in  use 
by  reputable  manufacturers,  and  around  them  a 
considerable  war  is  being  waged  by  commercial  in- 
terests in  which  I  have  no  part.  I  regard  both  as 
good,  under  reasonable  use.  The  first  of  these  is  as 
old  as  civilization  and,  with  some  modifications,  is 
the  method  used  by  the  Egyptians  to  preserve  their 
dead.  They  used  the  essential  oil  of  spices.  The 
"home"  method  or  process  used  by  some  manu- 
facturers is  the  same,  with  the  addition  of 
vinegar;  the  whole,  during  the  process  of  cooking — 
which  is  purely  a  chemical  operation — resulting  in 
the  creation  within  the  food  itself  of  the  chemical 
known  as  acetic  acid. 

The  other  method  is  that  evolved  by  the  mod- 
ern chemist  to  take  the  place  of  the  boiling  and 
spicing.  Various  chemicals  have  been  used — some 
too  powerful  in  retarding  fermentation  to  be  ad- 
visable— until,  after  much  experiment,  benzoate  of 
soda  was  considered  to  be  harmless,  or,  at  least, 
so  infinitesimally  harmful  that  it  could  not  be 
measured.  There  is  really  no  difference  of  opinion 
between  authorities  upon  this  point.  The  array 
includes   practically   all   chemists   of   note,    even 

27 


including  the  chief  chemist  of  the  food  concern 
which  is  most  prominently  in  opposition.  It  even 
includes  Dr.  H.  W.  Wiley,  of  Washington,  who  has 
gone  on  record  in  sworn  testimony*  not  only  that 
in  certain  classes  of  foods  a  preservative  is  needed, 
but  also  that  benzoate  of  soda  is  the  least  to  be 
feared. 

For  myself  there  is  very  little  choice,  since 
either  method  will  preserve  the  food  and  give  the 
protection  that  is  needed.  Both  methods  may 
undoubtedly  be  abused  by  unscrupulous  manu- 
facturers. The  heavy  odor  and  taste  of  the  spices 
and  condiments  make  it  possible  to  deceive  the 
nose  and  make  palatable  the  use  of  food  material 
that  would  otherwise  be  rejected.  Benzoate  of 
soda,  on  the  other  hand,  is  as  transparent  as  a 
piece  of  plate  glass,  and,  while  it  will  keep  partly 
decayed  food  from  getting  any  worse,  it  will  not 
make  bad  food  any  better  or  conceal  its  use  by  the 
addition  of  another  taste  or  odor.  Another  point 
in  favor  of  the  latter  method  is,  it  seems  to  me, 
that  it  would  require  a  far  heavier  dose  of  benzoate 
of  soda  to  produce  an  appreciable  effect  upon  the 
system  than  of  acetic  acid.  The  amount  of  acetic 
acid  in  a  bottle  of  catsup,  for  instance,  if  separ- 
ated and  taken  clear,  would  produce  most  painful 
results.  Moreover,  foods  that  are  preserved  by 
this  method  will  be  found  to  contain  an  amount 
of  acetic  acid  from  three  to  five  times  greater  than 
those  which  depend  upon  the  amount  of  benzoate 
of  soda  sanctioned  by  the  Government. 


^Hearings  before  the  Committee  on  Interstate  and 
Foreign  Commerce  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  Wash- 
ington, 1906.     (See  page  38). 


28 


BENZOATE  OF   SODA  vs.   ACETIC  ACID 

It  has  been  stated  in  the  foregoing  that  where 
benzoate  of  soda  was  not  employed  as  a  preserva- 
tive a  far  greater  amount  of  acetic  acid  would  be 
found  to  be  contained  in  the  goods.  For  pur- 
poses of  experiment  four  leading  brands  of  catsup 
were  purchased  in  the  open  market  and  submitted 
for  analysis  to  the  Lederle  Laboratories  in  New 
York  and  to  Dr.  S.  P.  Sharpies  in  Boston.  Fol- 
lowing are  the  results: 


Acetic  Acid. 

Benzoate  of  Soda. 

Sample.* 

Label  Statement. 

1 

New  York 

Boston 

New  York 

Boston 

A 

Preserved     with 
1-10  of  1  per  cent 

of  B.  of  S 

.68 

.66 

.0133 

.01 

B 

Contains  no  chem- 

ical preservative. 

2.11 

1.08 

.007 

.000 

C 

Prepared  only  with 
vinegar,     spices, 

onions  and  garlic 

1.21 

1.14 

.007 

.000 

CC 

(Same       manufac- 
turer.)   Contains 
1-10    of    1     per 

cent,  of  B.  of  S . 

.66 

.01 

D 

Prepared  without  a 
chemical  preser- 

1.30 

1.32 

.000 

.000 

It  is  perfectly  clear  from  the  above  that  where 
one-tenth  of  1  per  cent  benzoate  of  soda  has  been 
used  the  amount  of  acetic  acid  has  been  reduced 
materially.  That  is  to  say,  in  comparison  between 
samples  A  and  B,  we  find  that  sample  A,  which 
contained  benzoate  of  soda,  showed  but  .68  per  cent 
of  acetic  acid,  as  against  2.11  per  cent  of  acetic 
acid  in  sample  B.  Comparing  the  two  samples 
C  and  CC,  the  one  containing  benzoate  of  soda 
and  the  other  not,  we  find  that  where  it  was  omit- 
ted the  amount  of  acetic  acid  rose  to  1.14  per  cent. 

*Names  will  be  furnished  on  application. 


29 


The  Necessity  of  Some  Preservative 

GLEN.  F.  MASON 
Chemist  for  H.  J.  Heinz  Company 

Extracts  from  Address  at  Eighth  Annual  Convention  of  the  National  Association 
of  State  Dairy  and  Food  Departments,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 


The  necessity  of  a  preservative  in  fruit  and 
vegetable  products  has  been  called  to  my  attention 
upon  numerous  occasions  in  connection  with  work 
in  the  laboratory  during  the  past  year.  Tomato 
products  were  used  as  a  basis  for  research  in  a  great 
many  instances.  Every  possible  means  of  pre- 
serving with  none  but  natural  agencies  were  used, 
but  without  satisfactory  results.  Tomatoes  were 
pulped  in  the  laboratory,  the  bottles  thoroughly 
sterilized,  and  then  filled  to  top  with  pulp,  corked 
and  sealed.  These  kept  for  about  sixty  hours  and 
then  one  after  the  other  blew  out  the  cork  and  a 
rapid  fermentation  set  in.  The  same  scheme  was 
tried  again,  the  pulp  being  put  in  cold  storage.  In 
a  comparatively  short  time  this  lot  also  fermented. 

When  the  question  of  which  preservative  should 
be  used  I  think  all  agree  on  benzoate  of  soda. 
Most  of  the  ordinary  chemical  preservatives  which 
have  the  power  to  preserve  these  articles  are 
more   or  less  injurious  to  the  human  system. 

****** 

I  know  of  no  case  on  record  where  death  or  even 
serious  illness  was  caused  by  benzoate  of  soda,  and 

30 


I  see  no  reason  why  it  should  not  be  preferable  to 
any  other  chemical  preservative. 

5JC  5|C  5JC  J$C  5f£  IfC 

It  has  been  stated  by  competent  authority  that 
salicylic  acid  produces  chronic  dyspepsia.  No 
such  results  have  ever  been  tabulated  against 
benzoic  acid.  Numerous  other  preservatives  have 
all  such  records,  but  nowhere  will  you  find  benzoic 
acid  spoken  of  as  a  poison. 

*  *  *  *  *  * 

In  case  a  preservative  was  not  used  in  an  easily 
fermentable  article,  what  would  be  the  result? 
The  consumer  would  be  eating  various  moulds  and 
introducing  bacteria  into  his  system  by  the  millions. 
Every  one  knows  that  a  human  being  cannot  relish 
moulds  such  as  are  formed  upon  various  fruits. 
But  you  say  these  are  of  no  importance,  as  they  are 
on  the  top  and  can  be  removed  without  any  in- 
jurious effect  upon  the  preserves  or  other  product 
on  which  they  grew.  This  may  be  true  in  the  case 
of  *  'home-made"  preserves  where  it  remains  in  the 
cellar  or  pantry  without  being  molested  until  ready 
for  consumption. 

****** 

The  commercial  preserves  are  shipped  from  one 
climate  to  another,  usually  going  through  some- 
what sudden  changes  of  temperature  and  shaken 
up  in  every  conceivable  way;  and  in  the  meantime 
the  mould,  if  any,  which  has  been  resting  peace- 
fully on  top,  is  mixed  thoroughly  with  the  rest  of 
the  fruit.  Fermentation  will  soon  set  in  by  the 
constant,  or  almost  constant,  circulation  of  air, 
through  the  preserves,  caused  by  constant  changing 
of  box  from  one  spot  to  another. 


3i 


Then  you  have  the  absolutely  pure  preserves, 
free  from  preservatives,  as  they  would  very  often 
reach  the  consumer.  No  one  would  take  them  in 
preference  to  the  nice,  clean-looking  preserves, 
absolutely  free  from  fermentation,  containing  only 
a  very  small  amount  of  benzoate  of  soda.  Al- 
though none  of  the  moulds  found  upon  fruits  have 
as  yet  been  proven  as  poisons  in  the  strictest  sense 
of  the  word,  yet  none  of  them  is  considered  per- 
fectly harmless,  and  all  know  them  to  produce 
digestive  disturbances.  They  are  not  pleasing  to 
the  eye  by  any  means.  I  have  collected  moulds 
grown  upon  fruits,  free  from  preservatives,  which 
have  been  kept  in  screw-top  jars.  A  person  would 
not  have  to  look  long  at  them  to  lose  his  appetite, 
and  merely  from  appearance  would  reject  the  fruit. 
Would  it  not  be  better  to  use  a  little  benzoate  of 
soda,  and  do  away  with  these  objectionable  things? 

*  *  *  *  *  * 

It  seems  to  me  that  benzoate  of  soda  in  such 
quantities  as  consumed  by  an  individual  in  condi- 
ments can  not  be  injurious  to  the  human  system; 
and  we  can  all  be  positive  it  would  not  be  near  as 
injurious  as  condiments  put  up  without  benzoate 
of  soda,  which  are  usually  kept  on  the  table  for 
some  time,  producing  ferments  and  moulds,  and, 
not  having  proper  attention  paid  to  them,  are  often 
consumed  in  that  state. 


32 


The   Use   of   Essential    Oils 

Statement  of  Dr.  CLEMONS  KLEBER 

Clifton  Laboratories,  Passaic,  N.  J. 


It  has  been  charged  that  the  use  of  a  preserva- 
tive such  as  benzoate  of  soda  has  a  harmful  effect 
upon  the  process  of  digestion  by  retarding  the  ac- 
tion of  the  natural  chemical  ferments  of  the 
stomach,  but  I  have  found  it  possible  to  prove,  and 
have  absolutely  proved  that  these  natural  ferments 
were  not  really  harmed  at  all  by  proper  quantities 
of  the  preservative,  but  that  on  the  contrary  a 
large  number  of  foreign  and  dangerous  bacteria 
present,  were  so  modified  in  their  action  as  to 
give  the  digestive  juices  proper  and  sufficient 
time  to  conquer  them. 

There  are  still  many  secrets  in  digestion,  of 
course,  especially  with  regard  to  the  part  played  by 
so-called  "beneficent"  bacteria,  but  I  am  con- 
vinced that  any  possible  injury  done  to  these  doubt- 
ful friends  of  the  stomach  is  far  outweighed  by  the 
protection  against  injurious  forms  of  disease  germs 
afforded  by  proper  quantities  of  benzoate  of  soda 
such  as  are  introduced  into  the  system  in  the  eating 
of  preserved  foods.  And  this,  of  course,  does  not 
take  into  consideration  the  protection  given  the 
food  itself  which  is  of  inestimable  value.  Experi- 
ments have  demonstrated  over  and  over  again  that 
the  chemical  preservative  I  have  named  is  effective 
as  a  preventative  against  dangerous  conditions 
when  used  in  reasonable  quantities,  and  it  has  the 

33 


additional  advantage  of  being  colorless  and  tasteless. 
It  is  thus  not  possible  to  disguise  with  it  the 
flavor  of  food  which  has  begun  to  putrefy. 

The  essential  oils  of  spices  are,  of  course,  all 
slightly  antiseptic,  and  they  would  be  exceedingly 
serviceable  as  food  preservatives  were  it  not  for  the 
fact  that  they  are  so  pungent  and  powerful  in  their 
flavor.  In  not  a  single  case,  save  perhaps  that  of 
pickles,  when  a  mild  thymol  can  be  used,  can  they 
be  effective  as  preservatives  unless  so  much  of  them 
is  used  that  their  flavor  is  not  only  unpleasantly 
strong  but  possibly  highly  dangerous.  I  may  add 
for  the  information  of  the  non-technical  that  the 
essential  oils  themselves  are  the  only  antiseptic 
elements  of  spices;  the  natural  spices  themselves 
having  no  such  qualities  whatever,  though  I  am 
aware  that  an  attempt  has  been  made  to  convey 
that  impression.  The  process  of  obtaining  or  ex- 
tracting the  oils  from  the  natural  condiment  is 
only  possible  by  means  of  an  acid  process. 

Apart  from  these  facts  my  chief  reason  for  the 
advocacy  of  benzoate  of  soda  as  a  preservative  of 
foods  is  its  value  to  the  poorer  people.  There  is 
no  doubt  that  preserving  may  be  done  by  "apper- 
tization" — that  is,  by  air-tight  sealing  of  jars,  the 
contents  of  which  have  been  heated  to  the  boiling 
point  in  the  fashion  of  our  home  preserving — but 
experience  has  taught  all  of  us  the  uncertainties 
of  this  process  by  many  an  unnecessary  death, 
and  it  has  this  great  economic  disadvantage,  that 
such  goods  must  be  eaten  within  forty-eight  hours 
at  most  of  opening.  With  benzoate  of  soda,  how- 
ever, the  period  of  safety  is  enormously  extended, 
and  while  to  the  person  of  comfortable  means  this 
may  not  be  important,  to  the  small  wage  earner 
without  refrigerating  conveniences  it  is  very  seri- 

34 


ous  indeed.  It  is  obvious,  of  course,  that  manu- 
facturers are  not  going  to  add  more  of  a  compar- 
atively expensive  preservative  than  is  needed. 
Personally  I  shall  continue  to  demand  its  use  in 
all  such  materials  I  purchase  for  my  own  table. 


THE   PRESERVATIVE   PROPERTIES  OF  SPICES 

In  reply  to  a  question  as  to  the  digestive  qual- 
ity of  spices,  Dr.  S.  P.  Sharpies,  of  Boston,  one 
of  the  editorial  contributors  to  the  American  Edi- 
tion of  the  Encyclopedia  Britannica,  said:  "Infi- 
nitely bad.  In  my  opinion  far  worse  than  ben- 
zoate  of  soda  or  salicylic  acid,  and  their  influence 
on  the  digestive  functions  is  highly  deleterious.  I 
have  known  this  for  years.  Spices  themselves  are 
the  most  powerful  known  preservatives,  and  have 
been  known  as  such  for  thousands  of  years.  The 
ancient  Egyptians  knew  this  and  used  them  for 
embalming  their  dead.  This  was  done  so  per- 
fectly by  these  spices  that  the  mummies  have 
lasted  until  this  time." 


Dr.  J.  N.  Hurty.  of  the  Indiana  State  Board  of 
Health,  said  in  the  Journal  of  the  American  Med- 
ical Association,  under  date  of  January  30,  1909: 
"I  believe  also  that  spices  are  irritants  and  highly 
injurious.  Acetic  acid  extract  of  spices  is  strong 
vinegar  percolated  over  a  mixture  of  cloves,  pep- 
per, cinnamon,  etc.,  and  there  results  a  powerful 
antiseptic  which  is  injurious." 

35 


Holes  in  the  Pure  Food  Law 

(From  Siringjield  [Mass.]  Union-,  March  19,  1909) 


As  a  result  of  his  experiments  Professor  Smith 
has  announced  before  the  Central  Medical  Asso- 
ciation that:  "The  Pure  Food  and  Drug  Law  of 
1906  has  done  much  by  demanding  honest  labeling 
of  products,  but  vinegar  and  spices  are  condiments, 
and  therefore  do  not  require  statement  on  the 
label.  Acetic  acid,  however,  is  not  a  condiment, 
but  a  chemical  preservative  of  dangerous  quality 
and  should  be  so  labeled,  and  now  that  by  the 
findings  of  the  Referee  Board  of  Chemists  benzoates 
are  found  to  be  harmless,  I  suggest  that  the  efforts 
of  the  proper  authorities  be  directed  toward  prop- 
erly labeling  the  products  containing  acetic  acid, 
and  a  rigid  inspection  of  the  raw  material  to  see 
that  it  is  of  the  proper  quality." 

Read  Gordon,  B.S.,  a  food  chemist  of  national 
reputation,  who  last  October  debated  the  Pure 
Food  law  with  Dr.  H.  W.  Wiley  before  the  Chem- 
ical Society  in  New  York,  has  just  expressed  a 
precisely  similar  opinion.  In  an  interview  he  has 
said:  "It  is  highly  important  that,  if  the  public 
is  to  be  forced  to  consume  large  quantities  of  acetic 
acid,  it  should  be  informed  of  the  fact  on  the  label, 
and  the  law  is  not  definitely  and  sincerely  effective 
until  this  is  done.  The  present  condition  permits 
the  use  of  embalming  methods  with  acetic  acid 
and  essential  oils  and  spices  that  are  no  whit  bet- 
ter than,  and  just  as  offensive  as,  that  employed 
by  the  ancient  Egyptians." 

36 


Several  Mooted  Questions 
Answered 

Extracts  from  an  Article  by  Dr.  E.  E.  SMITH,  Professor  of  Physiological 

Chemistry,  Fordham  University,  and  Director  of  Research, 

Red  Cross  Hospital,  New  York 


WHY  AND   WHEN  IS  A   PRESERVATIVE 
NECESSARY  IN  FOOD? 

Vegetable  products,  like  tomatoes,  after  being 
sterilized,  may  be  kept  sealed  indefinitely  without 
a  preservative.  If  eaten  immediately  after  opening, 
no  preservative  is  necessary;  if  kept  for  more  than 
a  few  hours  they  must  have  a  preservative  or  they 
will  spoil,  exactly  as  fresh,  ripe  vegetables  decay. 

WHAT  PRESERVATIVES   SHALL  BE  USED? 

Acetic  acid  and  spices  may  be  used;  so  may 
benzoate  of  soda.  The  objection  to  acetic  acid 
and  spices  is  that  they  cover  the  real  taste  and 
are  far  more  likely  to  be  injurious  than  benzoate. 
When  acetic  acid  is  used  it  requires  as  much  sugar 
as  in  syrup  to  cover  the  strong  acid  taste. 

HOW7  CAN  DECAY  IN   MATERIAL  BE 
CONCEALED  ? 

Decayed  raw  material  has  a  bad  flavor.  To 
cover  bad  taste  substances  must  be  added  which 
have  a  taste  stronger  than  the  decayed  material. 
Benzoate  of  soda,  in  one-tenth  per  cent,  strength, 
has  no  taste  at  all.  Even  the  novice  knows  that 
acetic  acid  and  spices  obscure  the  flavor  of  raw 
material,  while  benzoate  of  soda  does  not.       It 

37 


merely  preserves.  If  the  original  raw  material 
is  good  it  keeps  it  good;  if  it  is  bad  it  keeps  it  bad 
and  does  not  cover  the  bad  taste.  It  leaves  the 
product  so  that  the  consumer  may  know  precisely 
what  the  flavor  is. 

WHAT  IS   "DOPE"   IN   FOOD? 

When  sugar  is  used  for  medicine  it  becomes  a 
drug.  When  onion  syrup  is  given  to  the  baby 
for  cold  in  the  throat  the  onion  is  a  drug.  When 
glacial  acetic  acid  is  used  to  eat  off  warts  it  be- 
comes a  drug.  When  allspice  is  given  to  prevent 
griping  it  is  a  drug.  When  benzoic  acid  is  inhaled 
to  soothe  a  hoarse  throat  it  becomes  a  drug.  Be- 
cause sugar,  onions,  vinegar,  spices  and  benzoic 
acid  may  be  used  as  drugs  is  no  reason  why  they 
should   not   be   eaten   in  food. 

WHENCE  IS  DERIVED    BENZOATE   OF    SODA? 

Not  a  single  pound  of  benzoate  of  soda  made 
from  any  animal  excretion  is  to  be  found  in  the 
markets  of  this  country  at  the  present  day.  Ben- 
zoate of  soda  is  common  soda,  treated  with  benzoic 
acid.  It  is  true  that  years  ago,  before  the  discov- 
ery of  the  present  method  of  manufacture,  a  poor 
grade  of  benzoic  acid  was  made  in  Germany  in  the 
way  criticised,  but  the  practice  is  absolutely  obso- 
lete. There  is  no  reason  to  believe  that  a  pound 
of  it  was  ever  made  into  benzoate  of  soda.  One 
reason  why  it  is  not  used  is  because  of  the  poor 
quality,  and  another  equally  practical  is  the  big 
price.  Benzoic  acid  thus  obtained  is  not  only 
inferior,  but  it  costs  more  than  ten  times  as  much 
as  the  clean,  pure  benzoate  from  toluene.* 

*A  coal-tar  product. 

38 


What  Various  Authorities  Say 

WILEY,  Dr.  HARVEY  W.,  Chief  of  the 
Bureau  of  Chemistry,  United  States  Department 
of  Agriculture,  in  his  sworn  testimony  before 
Committee  on  Interstate  and  Foreign  Commerce 
of  the  House  of  Representatives  on  the  Pure  Food 
Bill,  February  26,  1906: 

"I  want  to  point  out  how  they  have  misun- 
derstood the  efforts  which  have  been  made  to 
ascertain  certain  facts  relating  to  the  effect  of 
preservatives,  coloring  matters  and  other  sub- 
stances added  to  foods  on  health  and  digestion ; 
how  they  have  misunderstood  the  purpose  and 
scope  of  the  food  standards  which  have  been 
proclaimed  by  the  Secretary  of  Agriculture  in 
accordance  with  an  act  of  Congress,  and  have, 
as  a  result  of  these  erroneous  views,  created 
what  seems  to  them  a  demon  of  future  dangers, 
but  which  is  nothing  more  than  a  phantom  of 
a  perturbed  imagination. 


"Prof.  Kremers  states  his   position  on  page 
37,  where  he  says: 

*  /  know  that  salicylic  acid  has  been  used  to  a 

considerable  extent;  boracic  acid  also  has  been  used. 
There  are  worse  things  than  that  by  far  that 
have  been  used.  The  question  is,  I  suppose,  of 
finding  a  preservative  that,  if  it  is  not  absolutely 
harmless,  will  do  the  least  harm.7 

39 


"I  must  acknowledge  my  gratitude  to  Prof. 
Kremers  for  thus  stating  in  his  own  language  a 
position  which  I  regard  as  wholly  irrefutable 
in  respect  to  the  use  of  benzoic  acid  in  foods. 


"I  am  not  advocating  the  prohibition  of  the 
use  of  benzoic  acid  by  anybody  who  wants  to 
use  it.  I  would  be  in  favor  of  putting  benzoic 
acid  in  a  little  salt  cellar,  the  same  as  is  used 
for  salt  and  pepper,  and  letting  the  people  use 
it  if  they  want  to.  I  think  benzoic  acid  would 
not  hurt  me,  or  be  injurious  to  my  system.*' 

MUELLER,  SEBASTIAN,  Vice-President  of 
the  H.  J.  Heinz  Company,  in  an  address  at  the 
eighth  annual  convention  of  the  National  Associa- 
tion of  State  and  Food  Departments,  at  St. 
Louis,  Mo.: 

7C  "Mould  and  fermentation  are  frequently 
found  by  the  housewife  in  the  goods  which  she 
herself  has  put  up,  and  when  the  home  articles 
are  finally  taken  into  use  the  mould  is  removed 
and  the  good  part  underneath  is  eaten.  When 
the  home  product  is  found  to  be  fermented  it  is 
boiled  over  and  then  used,  but  while  the  house- 
wife may  be  willing  to  remove  the  mould  from 
her  own  goods  and  boil  over  the  fermented 
goods  which  she  herself  has  made,  she  is  not 
likely  to  buy  mouldy  or  fermented  goods  from 
the  grocer.  When  goods  are  made  on  a  large 
scale,  although  with  the  same  care  and  cleanli- 
ness, you  can  readily  see  what  will  happen 
when  they  are  shipped  over  long  distances 
and  transported  from  one  climate  to  another. 
If  any  mould  has  formed  before  the  goods  are 

40 


shipped,  the  mould  will  become  mixed  with  the 
entire  contents  of  the  package  during  transit, 
and  if  complete  spoilage  did  not  take  place  on 
this  account,  the  consumer  would  be  eating 
mould,  which,  in  my  opinion,  is  more  objec- 
tionable than  to  eat  the  small  and  harmless 
quantity  of  added  preservative  required  to 
prevent  its  formation.  Again,  if  goods  were 
slightly  fermented  on  the  top  of  the  package, 
the  bacteria  of  fermentation  would  become 
mixed  with  the  balance  during  transit,  and  the 
whole  package  would  go  up  in  fermentation. 


jc  "Now  let  us  come  to  the  preservative  itself. 
The  least  objectionable  one  in  use  to-day  seems 
to  be  benzoate  of  soda.  It  is  non-poisonous  and 
does  not  accumulate  in  the  human  system." 

KREMERS,  Prof.  EDWARD,  of  the  Univer- 
sity of  Wisconsin,  in  his  testimony  before  the 
Committee  on  Interstate  and  Foreign  Commerce 
of  the  House  of  Representatives  on  the  Pure  Food 
Bill,  February  15,  1906: 

"I  have  examined  the  best  literature  in 
the  three  languages,  English,  French  and 
German,  and  have  yet  to  find  a  statement  that 
benzoic  acid  administered  even  in  medicinal 
doses  would  produce  harm." 

KEDZIE,  Dr.  FRANK  S.,  professor  of  chem- 
istry of  the  Michigan  Agricultural  College, 
testifying  before  the  same  committee  on  the  same 
day: 

4i 


"I  eat  catsup  (naming  the  brand)  that  I 
know  contains  benzoic  acid,  and  I  have  it  on 
my  table  every  day.  I  do  that  in  preference 
to  taking  the  catsup  bottle,  as  I  used  to  do 
when  I  was  a  boy,  and  running  to  the  refrigera- 
tor every  time  after  it  was  used  and  putting  it 
there  so  that  it  would  not  sour  and  the  cork 
would  not  pop  out." 

VAUGHAN,  Prof.  VICTOR  C,  of    the    Uni- 
versity of  Michigan,  also  testifying: 

"I  am  sure  that  benzoic  acid,  in  the  quanti- 
ties in  which  it  is  used  in  tomato  catsup,  sweet 
pickles,  etc.,  one  part  in  1200  or  2000,  does  not 
do  any  harm. 


"Why  ought  we  to  use  preservatives  in 
foods  at  all?  The  use  of  preservatives  in  foods 
is  to  prevent  the  growth  of  bacteria.  Doctor 
Wiley  is  a  good  chemist,  and  the  Bureau  of 
Chemistry  is  doing  excellent  work;  but  how  in 
^CMkfr  the    world    can    any    one   expect-  an    expert 


r4et^^ir,4L 


bacteriologist  to  decide  how  much  of  a  preserv- 
ative is  necessary  to  preserve  a  given  food? 
If  you  want  to  get  a  patent,  you  would  not  go 
to  a  criminal  lawyer  in  order  to  get  it.  If  you 
wanted  to  defend  some  one  on  a  charge  of 
murder,  you  would  not  go  to  a  patent  lawyer. 
And  I  must  say,  with  all  due  respect  to  the 
agricultural  chemists  of  this  country,  many  of 
whom  are  great  men  and  doing  splendid  work, 
that  men  who  all  their  lives  have  been  assay- 
ing soils  and  estimating  the  value  of  fertilizers 
are  not  fitted  by  education  to  determine  the 
effect  of  anything  upon  the  animal  body." 

42 


KELLER,  Prof.,  writing  in  Liebig's  Annual  of 
Chemistry  (German),  Vol.  XLIII: 

"The  author  took  2  grams  of  benzoic  acid 
without  other  effect  than  a  nightsweat  which 
may  have  been  due  to  the  acid.  The  next  day 
the  same  dose  was  taken  three  times,  making 
a  total  of  8  grams  in  twenty-four  hours,  and 
no  other  effects  were  noticeable  or  observed." 

MARCH  AND,  Prof.,  in  a  paper  contributed  to 
The    Journal    of    Chemical    Practice    (German), 

Vol.  XXXV:  — ~ 

"In  experiments  continued  over  a  period  of 

ten  days,   during  which    30    grams  of  benzoic 

acid   were    administered,  we    were   unable    to 

observe  any  ill  effects  whatever." 

KLEBS,  Prof.,  quoted  in  The  Correspondence 
of  Swiss  Physicians,  Vol.  VIII: 

"There  are  absolutely  no  disagreeable  effects 
whatever  when  sodium  benzoate  is  adminis- 
tered for  long  periods  of  time,  even  in  doses 
up  to  25  grams  per  day.  In  medical  practice 
it  has  been  found  that  a  dose  of  from  10  to  15 
grams  per  day  gives  no  harmful  results." 

SENATOR,  Dr.  H.,  in  a  contribution  to  The 
Journal  of  Clinical  Medicine  (German),  Vol.  I: 


ERRATA 

Page    42,  lines   21-22   should   read: 
«_tne    world    can     anyone    EXCEPT    an    expert 
bacteriologist  determine  how  much,"  etc. — 


"I  eat  catsup  (naming  the  brand)  that  I 
know  contains  benzoic  acid,  and  I  have  it  on 
my  table  every  day.  I  do  that  in  preference 
to  taking  the  catsup  bottle,  as  I  used  to  do 
when  I  was  a  boy,  and  running  to  the  refrigera- 
tor every  time  after  it  was  used  and  putting  it 
there  so  that  it  would  not  sour  and  the  cork 
would  not  pop  out." 

VAUGHAN,  Prof.  VICTOR  C,  of    the    Uni- 
versity of  Michigan,  also  testifying: 

"I  am  sure  that  benzoic  acid,  in  the  quanti- 
ties in  which  it  is  used  in  tomato  catsup,  sweet 
pickles,  etc.,  one  part  in  1200  or  2000,  does  not 
do  any  harm. 


"Why  ought  we  to  use  preservatives  in 
foods  at  all?  The  use  of  preservatives  in  foods 
is  to  prevent  the  growth  of  bacteria.  Doctor 
Wiley  is  a  good  chemist,  and  the  Bureau  of 
Chemistry  is  doing  excellent  work;  but  how  in 
VfCM^  the    world    can    any    one   expert-  an    expert 


^^-•.rHt 


bacteriologist  to  decide  how  much  of  a  preserv- 
ative is  necessary  to  preserve  a  given  food? 
If  you  want  to  get  a  patent,  you  would  not  go 
to  a  criminal  lawyer  in  order  to  get  it.  If  you 
wanted  to  defend  some  one  on  a  charge  of 
murder,  you  would  not  go  to  a  patent  lawyer. 
And   I  must  say,  with  all   Hn*>  ™— -x  • 


KELLER,  Prof.,  writing  in  Liebig's  Annual  of 
Chemistry  (German),  Vol.  XLIII: 

"The  author  took  2  grams  of  benzoic  acid 
without  other  effect  than  a  nightsweat  which 
may  have  been  due  to  the  acid.  The  next  day 
the  same  dose  was  taken  three  times,  making 
a  total  of  8  grams  in  twenty-four  hours,  and 
no  other  effects  were  noticeable  or  observed." 

MARCH  AND,  Prof.,  in  a  paper  contributed  to 
The    Journal    of    Chemical    Practice    (German), 

Vol.  XXXV:  — 

"In  experiments  continued  over  a  period  of 

ten  days,  during  which    30    grams  of  benzoic 

acid   were    administered,  we    were   unable    to 

observe  any  ill  effects  whatever. " 

KLEBS,  Prof.,  quoted  in  The  Correspondence 
of  Swiss  Physicians,  Vol.  VIII: 

"There  are  absolutely  no  disagreeable  effects 
whatever  when  sodium  benzoate  is  adminis- 
tered for  long  periods  of  time,  even  in  doses 
up  to  25  grams  per  day.  In  medical  practice 
it  has  been  found  that  a  dose  of  from  10  to  15 
grams  per  day  gives  no  harmful  results." 

SENATOR,  Dr.  H.,  in  a  contribution  to  The 
Journal  of  Clinical  Medicine  (German),  Vol.  I: 

"The  author  administered  sodium  benzoate 
in  doses  of  4  to  6  grams  per  day  without  the 
slightest  ill  effect,  and  then  increased  the  dose 
to  11  and  12  grams.  In  cases  of  acute  rheuma- 
tism, as  much  as  70  grams  of  sodium  benzoate 
were  administered  in  eleven  days  without  any 
disturbing  symptoms  whatever." 

43 


SCHUELLER,  Prof.  MAX,  writing  in  The 
Experimental  Pathological  and  Pharmacological 
Record  (German),  Vol.  XI: 

"It  is  quite  possible  for  an  adult  to  ingest 
from  20  to  30  grams  of  sodium  benzoate  per 
day  without  any  injurious  effect." 

DEMME,  Dr.  R.,  in  a  communication  to 
Smith's  Year  Book  of  the  Summary  of  Medicine 
(German),  Vol.  CLXXXIII: 

"Diphtheria  has  been  treated  with  from  5 
to  20  grams  of  sodium  benzoate  per  day,  besides 
local  treatment  with  it,  and  subcutaneous  injec- 
tions of  a  50  per  cent,  solution  in  retro-  and 
sub-maxillary  region  and  the  tonsils.  There 
was  no  drop  in  temperature,  and  the  heart 
action  was  materially  improved.'" 

ROKITANSKY,  Dr.,  in  Wiener's  Medical  Press 
(German),  Vol.  XX: 

"Inhalations  of  sodium  benzoate  are  of 
great  value  in  phthisis.  A  patient  weighing 
50  kilograms  must  use  at  least  50  grams  in 
5  per  cent,  solution  each  day — the  dose  being 
determined  by  the  body  weight." 

WINTER,  Prof.,  in  an  article  contributed  to 
Smith's  Year  Book  of  The  Summary  of  Medicine 
(German),  Vol.  CLXXXVI: 

"The  author  has  invariably  failed  to  observe 
any  ill  effects  after  the  use  of  the  benzoates. 
In  all  cases  they  are  found  to  be  strongly 
diuretic." 

44 


VON  JAKSCH,  author  of  "The  Poisons :" 

"Perhaps  benzoic  acid  and  its  salts  are  the 
least  injurious  of  the  whole  aromatic  series 
{including  the  essential  oils  of  spices)*  for  the 
human  organism.  I  have  repeatedly  given 
in  rheumatism  as  high  as  24  grams  of  sodium 
benzoate  per  day  without  observing  any  in- 
jurious effect.  Cases  have  come  under  my 
knowledge  where  as  high  as  60  grams  per  day 
have  been  given." 

SIRECI,  Prof.,  writing  in  Maly's  Year  Book 
of  Animal  Chemistry  (German),  Vol.  XXVII: 

"Even  with  high  doses  of  benzoate  acid,  it 
was  not  possible  to  exceed  the  capacity  of  the 
body  to  transform  all  the  benzoic  acid.,, 

LEFFMAN,   Dr.   H.,  in   The  Journal   of  the 
Franklin  Institute  (American),  Vol.  CXLVII: 

"Benzoic  acid  and  sodium  benzoate 
are  practically  without  influence  on  the 
digestive  power  of  the  enzymes.  *  *  * 
Sodium  benzoate  has  been  given  internally 
in  doses  amounting  to  5  to  20  grams  a  day. 
*  *  *  Physiologically,  sodium  benzoate  is 
about  as  harmless  as  a  drug  can  be." 

WOOD,  Dr.  H.  C,  in  "Therapeutics,"  12th  Ed. : 
"The  local  action  of  benzoic  acid,  unless  in 
large  quantities,  is  scarcely  irritant  to  mucous 
membranes.  *  *  *  The  contradictory 
testimony  regarding  the  influence  upon  nutri- 
tion indicates  that  it  had  no  constant  powerful 
action." 


"Italics  added. 

45 


Bibliography 


KELLER. — Uber  Verwandlung  der  Benzoeaure  in  Hippur- 
saure.     Liebig's  Annalen  der  Chemie,  1842,  XLIII,  103. 

MARCHAND. — Uber  die  Oxydationsproducte  des  Leims 
durch  Chromsaure.  Journal  fur  practische  Chemie, 
1845,  XXXV,  309. 

WOHLER  AND  FRERICHS.— Uber  die  Veranderungen, 
etc.     Liebig's  Annalen  der  Chemie,  1848,  LXV,  335. 

KUHNE  AND  HALLWACHS.— Uber  die  Entstehung  der 
Hippursaure,  etc.  Virchow's  Archiv  fur  pathologische 
Anatomie,  1857,  XII,  386. 

LUCKE. — Uber  die  Anwesenheit  der  Hippursaure,  etc.  Vir- 
chow's Archiv  fur  pathologische  Anatomie,  1860,  XIX, 
196. 

LAUTEMANN—  Uber  die  Reduction  der  Chinasure,  etc. 
Liebig's  Annalen  der  Chemie,  1863,  CXXV,  9. 

MATTSCHEWSKY—  Zur  Entstehung  der  Hippursaure. 
Virchow's  Archiv  fur  pathologische  Anatomie,  1863, 
XXVIII,  538. 

MEISSNER  AND  SHEPARD  — Untersuchungen  uber  das 
Entstehen  der  Hippursaure  im  thierischen  Organismus. 
Hannover,   1866. 

HOFMEISTER. — Beobachtungen  uber  Hippursaurebildung 
im  Pflanzenfresserharn.  Landwirthschaftliche  Ver- 
suchsstationmen,  1871,  XVI,  458. 

BUCHHOLTZ. — Antiseptica  unter  Bacterien.  Archiv  fur 
experimentelle  Pathologie  und  Pharmacologic  1875, 
IV,  1. 


♦This  is  the  bibliography  consulted  by  the  Remsen  Board  in  reaching 
its  findings. 

46 


WEISKE. — Untersuchungen  uber  die  Hippursaurebildung 
im  Korper  des  Herbivoren  bei  Verabriechung  verschie- 
denartiger  Futtermittel.  (Unter  MitwirkuDg  von  Kell- 
ner  und  Wienand.)  Zeitschrift  fur  Biologie,  1876, 
XII,  241. 

E.  OKOLOW  —  Uber  die  Einwirkung  der  Salicyl-und  der 
Benzoesaure  auf  Faulniss  und  Gahrung.  Centralblatt 
fur  Chirurgie,  1876,  P.  777.  (Abstract  by  W.  Grube. 
Original  Russian.) 

E.  SALKOWSKI. — Zur  Wirkung  des  benzoesaurren  Natrons. 

Virchow's    Archiv    fur    pathologische    Anatomie,    1877, 
LXXVIII,   53. 

A.  HOFFMAN. — Uber  die  Hippursaurebildung  in  der  Niere. 
Archiv  fur  experimentelle  Pathologie  und  Pharmacologie, 

1877,  VII,  239. 

F.  WALTER. — Die  Wirkung  der  Sauren  auf  den  tierischen 

Organismus.      Archiv  fur  experimentelle  Pathologie  und 
Pharmacologie,  1877,  VII,  148. 

BUNGE  AND  SCHMIEDEBERG.— Uber  die  Bildung  der 
Hippursaure.  Archiv  fur  experimentelle  Pathologie  und 
Pharmacologie,   1877,  VI,  233. 

SALKOWSKI.— Vorgang  der  Harnstoffbildung  in  Tierkor- 
per.  Zeitschrift  fur  physiologische  Chemie,  1877-1878, 
111. 

LAUDER  BRUNTON—  Text  Book  on  Pharmacology, 
Therapeutics  and  Materia  Medica.  London  1878,  edi- 
tion, 78. 

G.  BROWN. — Zur  Therapie  der  Dipthertis.     Archiv  fur  ex- 

perimentelle Pathologie  und  Pharmacologie,  178,  VIII, 
140. 

KLEBS. — Uber  einige  therapeutische  Gesichtspunkte  welche 
durch  die  parasitare  Theorie  der  Infectionskrankheiten 
geboten  erscheinen.    Prager  medizinische  Wochenschrift, 

1878,  III,  5,  16,  41,  54. 

47 


KLEBS. — Uber  einige  therapeutische  Gesichtspunkte  welche 
durch  die  parasitare  Form  der  Infectionskrankheiten  ge- 
boten  erscheinen.  Prager  medizinische  Wochenschrift, 
1878,  III,  1,  2,  5,  6. 

KLEBS. — Natrium  benzoicum.  Correspondenzblatt  fur 
Schweizer  Aerzte,  1878,  VIII,  313. 


SALKOWSKI. — Uber  den  Einfluss  der  Verschliessung  des 
Darmkanals,  etc.  Virchow's  Archiv  fur  pathologische 
Anatomie,   1878,   LXXIII,   421. 


E.  SALKOWSKI.— Uber  das  Vorkommen  von  Allantoin 
und  Hippursaure  im  Hundeharn.  Berichte  der  deutschen 
chemischen  Gesellschaft,  1878,  XI,  500. 

WINTER. — Zur  therapeutischen  Verwendung  des  benzoe- 
sauren  Natrons.  (Abstract)  Schmidt's  Jahrbucher  fur 
die  gesammte  Medizin,  1879,  CLXXIV,  121. 

NAUMANN. — Uber  die  therapeutische  Verwendung  des 
benzoesauren  Natrons.  (Nach  Schuller,  Klebs,  Letzer- 
ich,  Hoffman.)  Schmidt's  Jahrbucher  fur  die  gesammte 
Medizin,  1879,  CLXXXII,  125. 

SENATOR. — Uber  die  Wirkung  der  Benzoesaure  bei  der 
rheumatischen  Polyarthrits.  Zeitschrift  fur  klinische 
Medizin,  1879,  1,  243. 

FRITSCHE. — (In  a  discussion  of  a  paper  on  inhalations  of 
sodium  benzoate  in  tuberculosis  of  the  lungs.)  Berliner 
klinische  Wochenschrift,  1879,  XVI,  762. 

M.  SCHULLER. — Uber  therapeutische  Versuche  bei  mit 
tuberculosen,  scrophulosen,  septischen  Massen  infecier- 
ten  Tieren.  Archiv  fur  experimentelle  Pathologie  und 
Pharmacologic  1879,  XI,  84. 

F.  KROCZAC. — Vorlaufige     Mitteilung  uber  Natronbenzo- 

icum   Inhalation   am    Krankenbette.     Wiener   medizin- 
ische Presse,  1879,  XX,  1178. 


48 


SOLOMON. — Tiber  den  Ort  der  Hippursaurebildung  beim 
Pflanzenfresser.  Zeitschrift  fur  physiologische  Chemie, 
1879,  III,  365. 

VON  SCHRODER.— Uber  die  Bildung  der  Hippursaure  im 
Organismus  des  Schafes.  Zeitschrift  fur  physiologische 
Chemie,  1879,  III,  323. 

R.  DEMME. — Sechzehnter  mediz.  Bericht  uber  die  Thatig- 
keit  des  Jennerschen  Kinderhospitals  in  Bern  im  Laufe 
des  Jahres  1878.  Schmidt's  Jahrbucher  fur  die  gesammte 
Medizin,  1879,   CLXXXIII,  218. 

STADELMANN. — Uber  die  Umwandlung  der  Chinasure  in 
Hippursaure  im  Organismus  der  Saugetiere.  Archiv  fur 
experimentelle  Pathologie  und  Pharmacologic,  1879, 
X,  317. 

ROKITANSKY—  Zur  Behandlung  der  Phthise  mittelst  In- 
halationen  von  Natrium  benzoicum.  Wiener  medizin- 
ische  Presse,  1879,  XX,  1330. 

W.  KOCHS. — Uber  eine  Methode  zur  Bestimmung  der  Topo- 
graphic des  Chemismus  im  tierischen  Korper.  Pfluger's 
Archiv  fur  die  gesammte  Physiologic  1879,  XX,  64. 

JAARSVELD  AND  STOKVIS.— Uber  den  Einfluss  von 
Nierenaffectionen  auf  Bildung  von  Hippursaure.  Archiv 
fur  experimentelle  Pathologie  und  Pharmacologic  1879, 
X,  268. 

WEISKE. — Uber  Hippursaurebildung  im  tierischen  Organis- 
mus.    Zeitschrift  fur  Biologic  1879,  XV,  618. 

WINTER. — Zur  therapeutischen  Verwendung  der  Benzoe- 
saure  und  des  benzoesauren  Natrons.  (Abstract) 
Schmidt's  Jahrbucher  fur  die  gesammte  Medizin,  1880 
CLXXXVI,  121. 

R.  KOBERT. — (Nach  eigenen  im  Verein  mit  Dr.  Schulte 
angefuhrten    Untersuchungen.)  Zur    Kenntniss    der 

Wirkung  der  Benzoesaure.       Schmidt's  Jahrbucher  fur 
die  gesammte  Medizin,  1880,  CLXXXV,  12. 

49 


WEYL  x\ND  ANREP.— Uber  die  Ausscheidung  der  Hippur- 
saure  und  Benzoesaure  wahrend  des  Fiebers.  Zeitschrift 
fur  physiologische  Chemie,  1880,  IV,  169. 

E.  SALKOWSKI .— Notizen.  Zeitschrift  fur  physiologische 
Chemie,  1880,  IV,  135. 


SCMIEDEBERG.— Uber  Oxydationen  und  Synthesen  im 
Tierkorper.  Archiv  fur  experimentelle  Pathologie  und 
Pharmacologic  1881,  XIV,  288. 

SCMIEDEBERG.— Uber  Spaltungen  und  Synthesen  im 
Tierkorper.  Archiv  fur  experimentelle  Pathologie  und 
Pharmacologic  1881,  XIV,  379. 

C.  VIRCHOW. — Uber  die  Einwirkung  des  benzoesauren  und 
salicysauren  Natrons  auf  den  Elweissumsatz  in  Korper. 
Zeitschrift  fur  physiologische  Chemie,  1882,  VI,  78. 

SALKOWSKI. — Weitere  Beitrage  zur  Kenntniss  der  Harn- 
stoddbildung.  Zeitschrift  fur  physiologische  Chemie, 
1882-1883,  VII,  93. 

J.  SCHIFFER  —  Weitere  Beitrage  zum  Verhalten  des  Sarko- 
sins  im  tierischen  Organismus.  Zeitschrift  fur  physiolo- 
gische Chemie,  1882-1883,  VII,  479. 

E.  SALKOWSKI  AND  H.  SALKOWSKI— Uber  das  Ver- 
halten der  aus  dem  Eiweiss  durch  Faulniss  entstehenden 
aromatischen  Sauren  im  Tierkorper.  Zeitschrift  fur 
physiologische  Chemie,  1882-1883,  VII,  161. 

E.  BAUMANN. — Zur  Kenntniss  der  aromatischen  Substan- 
zen  des  Tierkorpers.  Zeitschrift  fur  physiologische 
Chemie,  1883,  VII,  553. 

SCHOTTEN—  Uber  die  Quelle  der  Hippursaure  im  Ham. 
Zeitschrift  fur  physiologische  Chemie,   1883,  VIII,   60. 

KRONECKER—  Uber  die  Hippursaurebildung  beim  Men- 
schen  in  Krankheiten.  Archiv  fur  experimentelle  Patho- 
logie und  Pharmacologic  1883,  XVI,  344. 

50 


MINKNOSKI. — Uber  Spaltungen  im  Tierkorper.  Archiv 
fur  experimentelle  Pathologie  und  Pharmacologic,  1883, 
XVII,  455. 


VAN  DE  VELDE  AND  STOKVIS.— Experimentelle  Bei- 
trage  zur  Frage  der  Hippursaurezerlegung  im  lebenden 
Organismus.  Archiv  fur  experimentelle  Pathologie  und 
Pharmacologic  1883,  XVII,  189. 

E.  SALKOWSKI. — Uber  das  Vorkommen  der  Phenacetur- 
saure  im  Ham  und  die  Ensrehing  der  aromatischen 
Substanzen  beim  Herbivoren.  Zeitschrift  fur  physiolo- 
gische  Chemie,  1885,  IX,  229. 

E.  SALKOWSKI.— Zur  Kenntniss  der  Eiweissfauiniss  III. 
Uber  die  nicht  hydroxylierten  aromatischen  Sauren. 
Zeitschrift  fur  physiologische  Chemie,  1885,  IX,  491. 

NOEL  PATON. — On  the  relationship  of  urea  formation  to 
bile  secretion.  Journal  of  Anatomy  and  Physiology. 
1886,  XX,  114,  267. 


F.  BAUMAN. — Die  aromatischen  Verbindungen  im  Harne 
und  die  Darmfaulniss.  Zeitschrift  fur  physiologische 
Chemie,  1886,  X,  123. 

BAAS. — Uber  das  Verhalten  des  Tyrosins  zur  Hippursaure- 
bildung.  Zeitschrift  fur  physiologische  Chemie,  1887, 
II,  485. 


M.  KUMAGAWA. — Uber  die  Wirkung  einiger  antipyre- 
tischer  Mittel  auf  den  Eiweissumsatz  im  Organismus. 
Virchow's  Archiv  fur  pathologische  Anatomie,  1888, 
CXIII,  134. 

MOERNER. — Eine  Vergiftung  durch  Natrium  benzoicum. 
Centralblatt  fur  die  medizinische  Wissenschaften,  1888, 
XXVI,  545. 

R.  COHN. — Uber  das  Auftreten  von  Bensamind,  etc.  Zeit- 
schrift fur  physiologische  Chemie,  1890,  XIV,  202. 

Si 


C.  BINZ. — Vorlesungen  uber  Pharmacologic,  zweite  Auflage, 
1891.     Berlin,   Hirschwald,  p.  594. 

R.  COHN. — Uber  das  Auftreten,  etc.  Zeitschrift  fur  physi- 
ologische  Chemie,  1892,  XVII,  310. 

VOGL.  —  Realencyclopadie  der  gesammten  Heilkunde 
(Eulenburg)  3.  Auflage.     Leipzig,  1894,  III,  229. 

VON  JACKSCH  —  Die  Vergiftungen.  Specielle  Pathologie 
und  Therapie  (Nothnagel)  Vienna,  1897,  I,  357. 

SIRECI. — Uber  die  Ausscheidung  der  Hippursaure.  Maly's 
Jahresbericht  fur  Thierchemie,  1897,  XXVII,  325. 

SIRECI. — Sulla  eliminazione  dell'  acido  hippurcia.  Gazetta 
degli  Espedali  e  delle  clinche,  1896,  XVII,  496. 

WEHMER. — Einige  vergleichende  Versuche  uber  das  anti- 
septische  Verhalten  der  Benzoesaure,  etc.  Chemiker 
Zeitung,  1897,  XXI,  73.  Chemisches  Centralblatt, 
1897,  1,  548. 

PFEIFFER  AND  EBER  (in  Verbindungen  mit  Gotze  und 
Muller). — Beitrag  zur  Frage  uber  die  Bildung  der  Hip- 
pursaure im  tieri&chen  Organismus.  Die  Landwrit- 
schaftliche  Versuchsstationen,  1898,  XLIX,  97-144. 

J.  POHL. — Uber  Synthesenhemmung  durch  Diamine. 
Archiv  fur  experimentelle  Pathologie  und  Pharmaco- 
logic, 898,  XLI,  97. 

WEINER.— Uber  das  Glykojoll  als  intermediares  Stoff- 
wechselproduct.  Archiv  fur  experimentelle  Pathologie 
und  Pharmacologic  1898,  XL,  313. 

KUNKLE—  Handbuch  der  Toxikologie.  Jena,  G.  Fisher, 
p.  550. 

K.  SPIRO. — Uber  Nachweis  und  Vorkommen  des  Glyko- 
jolls.  Zeitschrift   fur    physiologische    Chemie,    1899, 

XXVIII,  174. 

52 


H.  LEFFMANN. — Digestive  ferments,  with  special  reference 
to  the  effect  of  food  preservatives.  Journal  of  Franklin 
Institute,  1899,  CXLVII,  97. 


SALKOWSKL— Uber  die  antiseptische  Wirkung  von  Sali- 
cylaldehyed  und  Benzoesaureanhydrid.  Virchow's  Ar- 
chiv  fur  pathologische  Anatomie,  1899,  CLVII,  416. 

ASHHURST. — Certain  effects  of  benzoic  acid  upon  the 
urine.    Philadelphia  Medical  Journal,  February  24,  1900. 

BLUMENTHAL  —  Zur  Methode  der  Hippursaurebestim- 
mung.     Zeitschrift  fur  klinische  Medizin,  1900,  XL,  339. 

M.  LEWANDOWSKY  — Versuche  uber  den  Einfluss  der 
Benzoesaure  auf  die  Harnsaurebildung.  Zeitschrift  fur 
klinische  Medizin,  1900,  XL,  202. 

ABELOUS  AND  RIBAULT.— Sur  l'existence  d'un  ferment 
soluble  operant  la  synthese  de  l'acide  hippurique  aux 
depend  du  glycocolle  et  de  l'acide  benzoique.  Competes 
Rendus  de  la  Societe  de  Biologie,  June  9,  1900. 

WEINTRAUD  —  Uber  den  Anbau  des  Nucleins  im  Stoff- 
wechsel.  Centralblatt  fur  innere  Medizin,  1900,  XXL, 
464. 

PARKER  AND  LUSK  —  On  the  maximum  production  of 
hippuric  acid  in  rabbits.  American  Journal  of  Physi- 
ology, 1900,  111,  472.* 

E.  CURTIS. — Benzoic  acid  and  benzoates.  Reference  Hand- 
book of  the  Medical  Sciences,  1900,  Vol.  I. 


R.  COHN. — Uber  den  Glykokollvorrath  des  tierischen  Or- 
ganismus.  Festschrift  fur  N.  Jaffe,  Braunschweig, 
1900  or  1901,  p.  319. 

H.  ULRICHI. — Uber  pharmacologische  Beeinflussung  der 
Harnsaureausscheidung.  Archiv  fur  experimentelle  Pa- 
thologie  und  Pharmacologic,  1901,  XLVI,  321. 

53 


BERNINZONE  —  Sulla  sintesi  fisiologica  dell'  acido  ippu- 
rico.  Boll.  d.  R.  Accad.  med.  di  Genova,  1901,  16 
No.  VI,  47. 

K.  SIEBERT.— Uber  die  nach  Benzaldehyd  und  Benzoe- 
sauredarreuchung  im  Harn  auftretenden  reducierenden 
Stoffe.      Inaugural  Dissertation,  Konigsberg,  1901. 

C.  LEWIN. — Beitrage  zum  Hippursaurestoffwcchsel  des 
Menschen.  Zeitschrift  fur  klinische  Medizin,  1901, 
XLII,  371. 

Report  of  the  Department  Committee  appointed  to  inquire 
into  the  Use  of  Preservatives  and  Coloring  Matters  in 
the  Preservation  and  Coloring  of  Food  (together  with 
minutes  of  evidence,  appendix  and  index),  London,  901. 

WEITZEL. — Uber  die  Labgerinnung  der  Kuhmilch  unter 
dem  Einfluss  von  Borpraparaten  und  anderen  chemi- 
schen  Stoffen.  Arbeiten  aus  dem  kaiserlichen  Gesund- 
heitsstand,  1902,  XIX,  126. 

REM-PICCI. — Uber  cine  neue  Methode  fur  die  Bestimmung 
der  Hippursaure  im  Menschenharn.  Maly's  Jahresbe- 
richt  fur  Thierchemie,  1902,  XXXII,  316.  (From 
Archivio  di  farmac,  speriment  e  science  affini,  1902,  I,  7.) 

R.  COHN. — Zur  Frage  der  Glykokollbildung  aus  Leucin  im 
tierischen  Organismus.  Archiv  fur  experimen telle  Patho- 
logie  und  Pharmacologic  1902,  XLVIII,  177. 

E.  BASHFORD  AND  W.  CRAMER.— Uber  die  Synthese 

der  Hippursaure  im  Tierkorper.      (Preliminary  Report) 
Zeitschrift  fur  physiologische  Chemie,  1902,  XXXV,  536. 

F.  SOETBEER—  Kontrolle  der  Blumenthalschen  Methode 

der  Hippursaurebestimmung.      Zeitschrift  fur  physiolo- 
gische Chemie,  1902,  XXXV,  538. 

SALKOWSKI. — Uber  die  Stoffwechselwirkung  der  Benzoe- 
saure,  etc.  Internationale  Beitrage  fur  innere  Medizin. 
Festschrift  fur  v.  Ley  den,  Berlin,  1902,  II,  27. 

54 


HUPFER. — Einwirkung  von  Chinasaure  auf  Ilarnsaure  und 
Hippursaure  ausscheidung.  Zeitschrift  fur  physiolo- 
gische  Chemie,  1902-1903,  XXXVII,  302. 

A.  K ANGER. — Zur  Frage  uber  die  chem.  Zusammensetzuog 
und  die  pharmacologische  Wirkung  der  Preiselbeere 
(Vaccinium  vitis  idaea  L.).  Archiv  fur  experimentelle 
Pathologie  und  Pharmacologic,  1903,  L,  46. 

REM-PICCI. — Uber  die  Umwandlung  der  Benzoesaure  in 
Hippursaure  bei  Nierenkranken.  (Bollettino  della  R. 
Accademia  Medica  de  Roma,  XXX,  1-21).  Maly's 
Jahresbericht  fur  Tierchemie,  1903,  XXXIII,  102. 

PFEIFFER,  BLOCH  AND  RIECKE.— Eine  neue  Methode 
zur  Bestimmung  der  Hippursaure.  Mitteilungen  des 
landwirthschaftlichen  Instituts  der  Universitat  Breslau, 
1903,  II,  273. 

MOOSE  AND  NEUBERG.— Uber  den  physiologischen  Ab- 
bau  von  Jodalbumminen.  Zeitschrift  fur  physiologische 
Chemie,  1903,  XXXVII,  427. 

R.  KOBERT—  Lehrbuch  der  Intoxikationen.  II.  Band. 
Spezieller  Teil.  I.  Halfte,  p.  115.  Stuttgart,  Ferdinand 
Enke,  1904. 

E.  PRIBRAM. — Zur  Lehre  von  den  physiologischen  Wirk- 
ungen  carbocylischer  Sauren.  Archiv  fur  experimentelle 
Pathologie  und  Pharmacologic  1904,  LI,  372. 

GERHARDT—  Uber  Darmfaulniss.  Ergebnisse  der  Physio- 
logic 1904,  III,  138. 

BLUMENTHAL  AND  BRAUNSTEIN.— Uber  die  quanti- 
tative Hippursaurebestimmung  beim  Menschen.  Hof- 
meister's  Beitrage  zur  chemischen  Physiologic,  1904, 
VI,  150. 

KNOOP. — der  Abbau  aromatischer  Fettsauren  im  Tier- 
korper.  Hofmeister's  Beitrage  zur  chemischen  Phvsio- 
logie,  1904,  VI,  150. 

55 


PFEIFFER,  REICKE  AND  BLOCH.— Die  Muttersub- 
stanzen  der  im  Organismus  Pflanzenfresser  erzeugten 
Hippursaure.  Mitteilungen  des  landwirthschaflichen 
Instituts  der  Universitat  Breslau,  1904,  II,  695-728. 


R.  COHN. — Zur  Frage  der  Glykokollbildung  im  tierischen 
Organismus.  Archiv  fur  experimentelle  Pathologie  und 
Pharmacologic,  1905,  LIII,  435. 


MAGNUS-LEVY.— Tiber  die  Herkunft  des  Glykokolls  in  der 
Hippursaure.  Vorlaufige  Mitteilung.  Munchener  medi- 
zinische  Wochenschrift,  1905,  LII,  2168. 


H.  C.  WOOD. — Therapeutics.     Principles  and  Practice,  12th 
edition.     Philadelphia,  1905,  p.  895. 


G.  ASTOLFONI. — Recherches  concernant  Taction  de  quel- 
ques  substances  diuretiques  sur  la  synthese  de  l'acide 
hippurique.  (Resume  de  l'auteur.)  Archives  italiennes 
de  biologie,  1905,  XLIII,  373. 


G.  ASTOLFONI. — Recherche  interno  all'  azione  di  alcune 
sostanze  diuretiche  sulla  sintesi  dell'  acido  ippurico. 
Rivista  veneta  di  Scienze  nied.,  1905,  XLII,  57. 


G.  ASTOLFONI. — Recherche  interno  all'  azione  di  alcune 
sostanze  sulla  sintesi  dell'  acido  ippurico. 


R.  HEINZ. — Handbuch  der  experimentellen  Pathologie  und 
Pharmacologic,  I.  G.  Fischer,  Jena,  1905. 


McGILL. — Report  on  Preservatives.  Laboratory  of  the 
Inland  Revenue  Department,  Ottawa,  Canada.  June, 
1905.      Government  Printing  Bureau,  Ottawa,  1905. 


J.  SCHMID. — Uber  die  quantitative  Hippursaurebestimmung 
nach  Pfeiffer,  etc.  Centralblatt  fur  innere  Medizin. 
1905,  XXVI,  81. 


56 


PINCHAS  FEIGIN. — Uber  die  Hippursaureausscheidung 
beim  hungernden  Menschen.  Inaugural  Dissertation, 
Berlin,  1906. 


BEHRE  AND  A.  SEGIN.— Uber  die  Wirkung  der  Kon- 
servierungsmittel.  Zeitschrift  fur  Untersuchung  der 
Nahrungs  und  Genussmittel,  1906,  XII,  461. 


W.  WIECHOWSKE—  Die  Gesetze  der  Hippursauresyn- 
these.  (Zugleich  ein  Beitrag  zur  Frage  der  Stellung  des 
Glykokolls  im  Stoffwechsel.  Hofmeister's  Beitrage  zur 
chemischen  Physiologic  1906,  VII,  204-275. 


ADDERHALDEN  AND  TERUUCHI.— Studien  uber  die 
proteolvtische  Wirkung,  etc.  Zeitschrift  fur  physiolo- 
gische  Chemie,  1906,  XLIX,  I. 


BRUGSCH  AND  HIRSCH.— Hippursauresynthese  und 
Ausscheidung  der  Benzoesaure  beim  Hunde.  Zeitschrift 
fur  experimentelle  Pathologie  und  Therapie,  1906, 
III,   663. 


B.  von  FENYVESEY  —  Uber  den  Einfluss  experimentell  er- 
zeugter  Krankheits-prozesse  auf  biochemische  Synthesen. 
Maly's  Jahresbericht  fur  Tierchemie,  1906,  XXXVI,  633. 


F.  GLADI. — Contributo  alia  studio  dell'  acido  ippurico  dell' 
organismo  umano.  II  Policlinico,  Sez.  med.  1907,  No.  6. 
(Abstract  in  Centralblatt  fur  die  gesammte  Physiologie 
und  Pathologie  des  Stoffwechsels,  1907,  II,  748. 


MAGNUS-LEVY. — Uber  das  Auftreten  einer  Benzoesaure- 
Glycuronsaure  Verbindung  irn  Hammelharn  nach  Ben- 
zoesaure Futterung.  Biochemische  Zeitschrift,  1907, 
VI,  502. 


MAGNUS-LEVY.— Uber    die    Neubildung    von    Glykokoll, 
etc.     Biochemische  Zeitschrift,  1907,  VI,  523. 

57 


S.  AMBERG  AND  A.  LOEVENHART.— Further  observa- 
tions, etc.  Journal  of  Biological  Chemistry,  1908,  IV, 
149. 

LEWINSKI. — Uber  die  Grenzen  der  Hippursaurebildung 
beira  Menschen.  Archiv  fur  experimentelle  Pathologie 
und  Pharmacologic  1908,  LVIII,  397. 

SEO. — Uber  die  Hippursaurespaltung  durch  Bacterien,  etc. 
Archiv  fur  experimentelle  Pathologie  und  Pharmacologic, 
1908,  LVIII,  440. 

II.  W.  WILEY,  with  the  collaboration  of  W.  D.  Bigelow, 
F.  C.  Weber  and  others. — Influence  of  Food  Preserva- 
tives and  Artificial  Colors  on  Digestion  and  Health.  IV. 
Benzoic  Acid  and  Benzoates.  United  States  Department 
of  Agriculture,  Bureau  of  Chemistry.  Bulletin  No.  84, 
Part  VI,  1043-1294,  1908.      (Withdrawn.) 

REFEREE  BOARD  OF  CONSULTING  SCIENTIFIC 
EXPERTS. — "Influence  of  Sodium  Benzoate  on  the 
Nutrition  and  Health  of  Man."  (Experimentation,  Yale 
University,  New  Haven,  Conn.;  Columbia  University, 
New  York,  N.  Y.;  Northwestern  University,  Chi- 
cago, 111.) 


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